A superior western starring Tim McCoy, e of the gimlet eyes and a stare that will burn holes in you. This is not your usual shoot 'em up western - it is a low-key tale of good against bad. McCoy plays a notorious gambler who doesn't wear a gun. On the other hand, his partner and back-up, Jimmy Aubrey, does and is rather handy with it. The story line is simple enough - while in Nevada, McCoy shows up a card shark who is soon murdered and then befriends a Mexican who believes he is the killer. McCoy and Aubrey cross the California state line for safety, where they meet the Mexican again and befriend a Mexican family who are in danger of losing their home and land over supposed deed irregularities. And, the story, with a few nice twists, of course, has a happy ending.

I was too young to have seen Tim McCoy movies when I was a kid, so this archived movie is a great chance to see early B-Westerns (shoot-em-ups). His stare could burn a hole through you.

this is a really feel good movie. it's not hokey and i like the gentleman gambler who tries to set things straight even though he is a sinner.

Well, I thought it was sappy; over the top sappy. But I sat through the whole thing so there must be something to it.

dgft

I think this is different from the standard western of the time. I thought it was interesting that the hero had a gunman to assist him, while he himself did not carry a gun. They kind of flipped the sidekick and hero characters just a little. Nice twist...

In 1985, I taped a chopped up copy of this film with my new Betamax from the long defunct Satellite Program Network. Based on that copy, I have avoided looking at the Archive copy. I was sorry to have waited. This is a superior re-stored print. Sharp, unbroken, superior sound, obviously excellant production values. Tim McCoy plays a very low-key gambler out to right some wrongs with Jimmy Aubrey a very restrained side kick. The story is very low key, but superior because of it. Its sort of Bret Maverick 20 years before James Garner came along. The black hat, black cutaway coat would become McCoy's Western uniform through the "Rough Riders" Series later at Monogram. Wheeler Oakman, long time McCoy costar/villian is his oily self. Rex Lease, Earle Hodgins, Charles Stephens, and John Merton are stand-outs in support. Luana Walters sounds the only flat note in the cast as she has no acting skills. It was a Sig. Neufeld/ Sam Newfield production which makes its even more surprising as to its quality. Down in the credits as a film editor was John (Jack) English, who would go on to be one of the most respected directors of serials and westerns and television films as well, closely affliated with Gene Autry for many years, among others, primarily at Republic and Columbia Pictures. Not your rousing shoot-em-up, but one of Tim McCoy's best.